The ACT government's advertising on Northbourne Avenue, which claims the support of Walter Burley Griffin for the obscenity of the tram and all that goes with it is farcical. Griffin talked about "a city like no other" where the city was blended into its surroundings. That is what the planners until the last decade or two achieved and it is the "big picture" that we ought to retain.

But the present government, which will turn the West Basin into another Kingston Foreshore and has already destroyed Northbourne Avenue, has other ideas. When they have finished, Canberra will be like every other city on earth, congested and lacking the natural beauty it has now.

Self-government was inevitable but no one anticipated quite the level of incompetence we see now.

Stan Marks, Hawker

Annabel Crabb ("Marriage equality madness", March 26, p17) seems to think that to be consistent, Peter Dutton cannot support free speech and criticise CEOs for joining the gay marriage debate.

More astonishing were the views of prominent political satirist Cathy Wilcox (Cartoon, March 26) in support of Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, where she confuses the right of some to say unpleasant things with the duty of most to challenge these views.

Freedom of expression in a liberal democracy should allow people to say what they want and Annabel Crabb, Cathy Wilcox and the rest of us should be able to either support or criticise what is said in an open exchange of ideas in the public square, without adjudication by the Human Rights Commission or the courts.

The idea that, without Section 18C, public discourse will descend into vicious racist sledging ignores the reality that a mature and mostly enlightened society such as we have in Australia, would never accept such an outcome without challenge, and I have no doubt that Crabb and Wilcox would be at the forefront of such action.

H.Ronald, Jerrabomberra

There is no contesting Mark Kenny's words: "neutering section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act [was] a debate that had studiously avoided mention of the pro-free-speech section, 18D" ("Right voice, wrong answer", March 26, p18). Section 18D itemises the exclusions to 18C. Together they constitute an appreciable gift not only to the legal profession but also to every minority group in the nation seeking cheap publicity and more consideration than they are due.

The RDA has become a bully's weapon. Minority activists defy valid criticism, wielding 18C regardless of the expectable outcome under 18D, as in the QUT case involving a racially exclusive academic facility.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

As an integral member of the coalition engaged in Iraq and Syria, coupled with Australia's policy of refusing to confirm or deny military activity, it is reasonable to assume RAAF planes participated in the latest Mosul atrocities, pulverising at least 200 innocent souls ("Media blind to Mosul atrocities", March 26, p16).

What sort of madness is this, to kill innocent people with whom no one in Australia has a dispute, in a country posing no threat, which few, without prompting, would readily find on a world map? Could participating in such barbarity be the act (ongoing) of a responsible, (so called) democracy wishing to be recognised for its probity and human rights on the world stage?

Australia's hypocrisy in engaging in wanton destruction while cynically crawling among despots to seek support for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, elicits profound derision.

Bishop stooped as low as one might by supplicating for the beneficence of self-confessed killer Duterte, avoiding him inconvenience, by deferring to visiting him at his home!

Further confirmation of Australia's standing as world citizen may be observed in its boycott of negotiations to establish a global treaty to ban nuclear weapons, while 120 other nations attempt to do so ("Australia urged to join talks", March 26, p6).

This stance dovetails with its refusal to sign the Cluster Munitions Prohibition Convention (Dublin, 2008) banning cluster bombs, thereby bestowing moral legitimacy, via the technicality of interoperability, on Uncle Sam.

Albert M.White, Queanbeyan

Regarding the attack of the dogs that killed the poor little pomeranian ("Push to crack down on attacks", March 26, p4), Iam disgusted that it was decided the dogs didn't warrant being declared dangerous, presumably because the dogs hadn't killed a child, but "only" tore apart a little dog.

The fact that the authorities choose to apply no more than infringement notices for such a brutal attack on another sentient creature just because the victim is not our own species is a point of view which leaves those of us with sensitivity disgusted.

One day the policies and practices of human beings will reflect the fact that it is the 21st century, but clearly we're still in the Stone Age, dragging our knuckles.

This lack of empathy and complete disregard for sentient beings can of course also be applied to our own species, as is demonstrated clearly by the ongoing anti-LGBT bullying currently being enacted by our so-called leaders.

Meg Foreman, Queanbeyan

I have seen several advertorials in your paper for the proposed Ginnderry housing estate saying that it is legendary and a couple of evidence-lite articles about how Ginninderra Falls should be declared a national park – which seems to be the only relevant issue with the proposed housing estate.

I would appreciate some articles on the impact of the 10,000-house estate on matters such as projected traffic movements along Ginninderra Drive for the next 10 years.

This will at least provide a measure of transparency to ensure Ginninderra Drive has the capacity to handle the increased demand and does not become another car park due to opportunistic developers who will be long gone.

Rohan Goyne, Evatt

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